Florida designated coreopsis as the official state wildflower in 1991. Coreopsis ranges in color from golden to pink and has been planted extensively in Florida for highway beautification programs. Coreopsis, and some varieties are also referred to as tickseed.
Alligators are large, meat-eating reptiles that spend a lot of their lives in the water. They mostly live in fresh to brackish water, in swamps, marshes, canals, and lakes, but sometime end up in Florida backyards. The American alligator grows up to 19 feet long, weighing up to 600 lbs.
The Sailfish name originates from the greatly enlarged first dorsal fin that runs almost the length of its back and is covered with spots. The sailfish can reach speeds of sixty m.p.h. Sailfish found in Florida are approximately six to seven feet and thirty to forty-five pounds.
The mockingbird was adopted as the Florida state bird on April 23, 1927. It is a common songbird that is found across North America. The mockingbird is a large striking bird, from 9 to 11 inches, mostly gray, with large white patches on the wings and tail.
The adult Zebra Longwing is mostly black with yellow stripes and spots. The adult has a 2 - 4 inch wingspan. Adults sip sweet nectar and pollen from lantana and shepherd's needle. The Zebra Longwing butterfly makes a creaking sound when it is alarmed.
The average adult manatee grows to be about 10-12 feet long and weighs about 1,000-1,800 pounds. The manatee's life span is roughly 60 years. Manatees are endangered, and protected. The most common cause of death for manatees is being struck by boats.
Dolphins live in small groups of up to 12 members, and these groups are called pods. Bottlenose dolphins can live to the age of thirty and most are six- to eight-feet in length. Dolphins use a system of echolocation, much like sonar, to determine their orientation.
| Species as of April 2002 | Minimum size limits | Closed season | Bag limit | Comments |
| Greater Amber Jack |
Saltwater Licenses
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